Learning to Trust and Love Again
by wings of a lost soul
Summary: She pushed her face into his chest and cried softly, she didn’t have the strength to protest or hit him, just crying. Pairing IchigoRukia. Set after Soul Society Arch. Minor spoilers. If I continue the rating may be upgraded. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Hey it's me, wings of a lost soul. Yep I'm back with another ficcy. This one is set after the Soul Society Arch and has minor spoilers. So enjoy. Very out of character, sorry but I just can't seem to write in character today.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Bleach. Which depresses me so I go and write fics instead. Haha.

Learning to Trust and Love Again

She sat on top of the hill overlooking the ocean. The dark-haired girl hugged her legs to her chest the wind blew the grass blades gently around her. She held up a pale blue flower and let it go, watching it slowly float far away into the setting sky. The bright oranges, reds and yellows of the sun contrasting beautifully with the purples, pinks and blues of the evening sky.

"_Why do you want to save her?"_

" _I have to return the favor."_

"_Favor?"_

"_She saved me once."_

Her mind flooded with the memory of having only just met him but so willingly gave herself to him to save him, not caring that she could get caught and imprisoned.

"_Don't follow me, stay here and live for as long as you can, or I'll never forgive you!" _

As a lone tear trickled down her face, she felt a presence sit down beside her. Quickly she wiped away the tear, not wanting him to know she was crying, knowing he would wonder why. They sat in silence for a long time; it wasn't one of those awkward silences, more like a comforting one.

"I'm sorry…" said a quiet voice breaking the silence, "…you risked your life for me."

"No, I wanted to save you…" He started but stopped when he saw her get up and turn to walk home.

She didn't want him to see her crying, so she ran. Faster and faster. Farther and farther. _Running, away, from what,_ she wondered. _The memories, the hurt, no, I'm running away from him. Running away from love. _She stopped and sat on a stump, crying. "Why, why did I let myself love?"

He chased after her. _Where did she go, why did she run? _Then he found her, slumping down to the ground. A light drizzle started. _Damn it. _He thought, _why now?_ "Rukia," he said softly.

She looked up into his amber eyes, filled with worry and concern. He saw into her eyes a deep blue-violet. He saw the pain, the fear, it all showed in her eyes. He touched his hand to her face to wipe away the tears that stained her beautiful face. Her eyes widened at his gentle touch. "Rukia."

She fell to the ground but Ichigo caught her, and picked her up, carrying her back to the house. "Hang in there, Rukia."

She pushed her face into his chest and cried softly, she didn't have the strength to protest or hit him, just crying.

Reaching the house, he jumping through the window, and placed her on his bed. He set his chair down next to the side of the bed and sat in it watching over her. Her breathing was calmer and she appeared to be asleep so he too slept, in the chair.

When she awoke, she looked around her to find herself in Ichigo's room. She looked about for him but he was nowhere in sight. She gathered up her clothes to go and take a shower.

What was about to come wasn't something that she was prepared for, as she opened the door and came face to face with Ichigo. "Aa…" she started, dropping her clothes, her eyes widening as she fought to look into his blazing eyes.

"Rukia," he said, but was cut off when she placed her small hand on his bare chest. She jerked away, not sure of what she was doing. "I'm sorry," she stammered and left the room without shutting the door, she when into his room and jumped out the window, leaving him standing with a towel that he had just grabbed before following her, but stopping as she jumped out the window and ran away once again.

"Rukia."

"Ichigo, why, what is going on?"

Well I don't know about this. Should I continue or not. It appears that my one-shot has no desire to be a one-shot anymore. If you want me to continue this you best review and tell me. I know this is sort of out of character and I plan to bring it as close to in character as I can in the future if I'm to continue this. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, Hey it is the long awaited next chappie. I hope that it makes you guys happy.

Disclaimer: I, wings of a lost soul, don't own nor make any money off of Bleach. If I did I wouldn't be here writing fan fiction I would be writing the manga so that the amine could start producing more episodes. I'm tired of waiting for episode 115 to come out. Well enough complaining more reading.

Chapter 2

"Ichigo, why… what's going on?"

"Oh. Karin." He turned to face his sister. "It's nothing."

"Okay," she said uneasily, "are you sure?"

"Yeah."

She walked out of his room puzzling over why he was speaking so softly to…. _Was there someone in the room with him…no…definitely not_.

_That was close. Now what? Best go find Rukia, before she gets too weak and faints again. _He picked up a tee shirt off his desk and put it on afterwards he pulled on a pair of jeans. He walked out of his room, and down the stairs to the kitchen where he found Karin silently sipping orange juice. He tried to slip out the door but Karin asked, "Where are you going?"

"Ummm…out with a friend."

"Oh."

_Damn._ He thought.

"Oh well." He put his hands in his pockets and headed down the road to the hill where he found Rukia only the day before.

"Rukia," he started but stopped when a foot met him square in the face. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Because, you shouldn't have come after me." She said not wanting to be around him and letting him see her weaker side.

"It was your fault for running!" he hollered irritated.

"Well…" she started thinking up a logical comeback, "Maybe you shouldn't leave the door unlocked!"

"You're the one who opened the door." He smirked at her.

She kicked him again in the shin. "Hey, that hurts."

"Then…then…" she was running out of things to say to make him mad. _Everything I say he turns it around and makes seem like I was in the wrong._

"Then, what?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing."

There was a long pause before Ichigo spoke up. "Do you want to go get an ice cream?"

Surprised, "yeah, sure."

They walked down the path through the forest to get to town, Rukia insisted saying it was shorter. Ichigo knew better but remained silent not wanting another fist or foot in his face.

It was a _long_ path that winded around the outside of the town like a circular maze. The spring breeze blew the leaves in his hair and Rukia looked over and giggled as she reached up to remove a helpless leaf that was caught in his spikes. Ichigo smiled down to her.

_Wait a minute. Let's backtrack. Rukia was giggling and I smiled. _

_**Yeah, smirked his conscious.**_

_What! Who said that?_

_**Me.**_

_Who are you?_

_I'm your conscious_

_My what?_

_Sigh. Your conscious. You know the little voice that tells you what's what and how to do things._

_Oh… you mean you know what I know?_

_**Yeah, like that you are in love with that girl.**_

_What! No way!_

_**Yeah you do.**_

_Not._

_**Do.**_

_Great. I'm arguing with myself in my head._

_**That girl's gonna think your nuts.**_

… _Glares._

"Ichigo?"

"…"

"Ichigo?"

"…"

Kick. "ICHIGO!"

"OUCH! WHAT?"

"We are walking in circles."

"No"

"Yes, see I marked that tree and this is the third time we have passed it."

He stares at her. _She thinks I'm the nut, phef. She is the one marking trees as we walk._

_**It's YOU who is talking to himself.**_

_Shut up._

_**Why don't you just tell her you love her?**_

_What! Why would I do such an idiotic thing?_

_**So you DO love her.**_

_What! NO!_

_**Sigh. Stop denying it.**_

_I DON'T LOVE RUKIA!_

"Ichigo?"

"WHAT?" he says annoyed.

She glares at him, "what's wrong with you, are you sick?"

"No" I'm fine." He says gritting his teeth, "just fine."

They make it out of the forest.

"What flavor ice cream do you want?"

"Whatever."

"Okay, then you get what I'm having."

He hands her a chocolate ice cream cone.

"Thanks."

He cocks his eyebrow up again. Ready to brace himself from a kick. But she doesn't kick him she is already sitting down on a bench. He walks over and sits down next to her.

"This is so peaceful," she said looking at the fountain in front of her and the flowering brushes surrounding it. She finished the last of her ice cream and rested her head against Ichigo's shoulder. He glanced down at her and said quietly, "yeah."

"Let's go." He said after several minutes.

"Home."

"Since when was it home to you?"

Her reply was a kick in his other shin.

They walked back into the forest again.

"Do you have to kick that hard?"

"Yeah. Because it makes you stop mocking me."

"Mocking you?" he smirked, "who would mock someone as small as you?" He stood in front of her blocked her from getting around him.

"Move."

"Why!" he said enjoying pissing her off.

Damn it, Ichigo move."

"Why." He teased playfully.

"MOVE!"

"Make me."

"UGH, YOUR SO IMMATURE!"

He stopped to consider this thought for a moment, but he still didn't move.

She kicked him again but he was quick on the draw and hooked his foot to her ankle pulling her down to the ground with him. She landed on top pf him with a thud. She immediate got up to get off of him but he grasped her around her waist and flipped his body over so that she was pinned down underneath him. She tried to squirm away but he held her down. "GET OFF OF ME!" her face red from anger and embarrassment.

He looked down at her and said, "Why?" in a childish mocking way.

She stopped squirming. "Fine." She glared at him, "what are you gonna do now?"

He looked into her blue-violet eyes, trying to read what she was thinking, but failing. Her eyes softened after she saw the joyful look in his amber eyes. _For once, he isn't smirking at me. He seems like he is planning something…_

He leaned in but reality kicked in when a bird called a loud squawking response to the other birds. He jumped off her muttering a quick apology, before walking off. She stood up and thought to herself…_Was…he going to k…kiss me?_ She blushed furiously

"Are you coming!" he called back to her, too far away to see her blush.

"Yes!' she called and told herself…._no…he doesn't like me…does he?_

She hurried to catch up to him but tripped over a rock as she reached him. He caught her just before she hit the ground. "Idiot." He murmured as he let go of the embrace he had around her.

She too shocked to answer him with a nasty comeback let alone kick him she hung her head down ashamed of her weakness around him that was slowly starting to show. He stole a glance at her and wondered…_should I tell her?_

_**Why didn't you kiss her? You idiot.**_

_I said before I don't like her._

_**Then what is it that you wish to tell her?**_

…

_**Do you love her?**_

…

_**HEY!**_

…

_**ARE YOU IN THERE?**_

_Yeah I'm thinking so shut up._

…

_Your right, I do love her._

… _**Well duh I'm right. I'm your conscious after all, I'm always right.**_

Well there you go. I hope you guys like it. The mature chapter is yet to come so please hold on I have to work them up to the point first. They are being a little too stubborn. Sorry if they are slightly out of character I tried to keep them in check. I wish they wouldn't fight so much it's quite annoying. They sure have funny ways of showing their love for each other.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay I had a snow day Wednesday, my Internet was down but I have finally decided I will write as much as I can and post it when the Internet starts up again. So here is the next part. Sorry if it's bad but I seem to be having a bit of a slight case of writer's block. Sigh. It's just one thing after the other.

Disclaimer: Sadly enough I don't own Bleach or any of its characters nor do I make any money off of these works. So don't come after me. Kay? I have no money to give you anyways.

Chapter 3

She too shocked to answer him with a nasty comeback let alone kick him hung her head down; ashamed of her weakness around him that was slowly starting to show. He stole a glance at her and wondered…_should I tell her?_

_Should I tell her?_ He thought once again as he lay on his bed, reviewing his day. Rukia was asleep in his closet, as far as he knew so he too fell into a restless sleep, still pondering his feelings for her.

Inside the closet, Rukia was tossing around in her sleep. Her eyes snapped open. _Damn it. I can't sleep. Was he going to kiss me? I really want to know but I refuse to stoop to that level and ask him if he was._ She opened the closet door a tad and peeked over at the sleeping form on the bed. "He can't sleep either." She whispered quietly. He stirred once more before turning to face the closet. She got up and walked over to his bedside, she watched as his chest, covered with a comforter, rose and fell in time with his breathing. Reaching out she touched his face and whispered, "Were…" His amber eyes slowly opened, "Rukia…" she tried to come up with an excuse to be sitting on his bed, " Aa…"

" If you can't sleep in that closet then come and sleep here for the night." He said with no intentions of doing anything but keeping her warm, for she was shaking like a leaf and the closet he knew, was freezing cold. Out of lack of words she nodded and crawled in on the other side of him, pulling the comforter up around her. It was warm, much warmer than inside the closet. "Are you warmer now?" "Yeah," she yawned tiredly and rested her head on the pillow. He smiled down at her as he place a protective arm around her and fell in to a deep slumber. She blushed furiously and tensed up but soon she slowly relaxed into his chest and fell asleep.

The next morning Karin was still worried about her brother and decided she would go up and check on him. She opened the door a crack and saw Ichigo asleep she smiled and turned to walk out the door, she stopped and looked back, _I thought I saw a girl there, sigh, oh well, I guess not._ "Phew." Ichigo whispered lightly, his heart pounding wildly. "That was close," said a voice that was muffled by the covers that were covering up its master. "Yeah… did I wake you?" "No. I was awake already."

Ichigo got up and left the room with some clothes and headed for the shower. Rukia stretched out her legs and went to the closet, slid the door open and pulled open a drawer taking out her school uniform. He put it on quickly so not to be caught undressing by Ichigo. She blushed at the thought as it crossed her mind. _This isn't good. If I blush like this whenever I'm around him or he is mentioned or I start thinking of him, then people are gonna wonder if something is up. _She shook her head and sat at his desk. She laid her head down and soon after her eyelids slid down and she slept.

"Hey, sleepyhead wake up." Ichigo said as he shook her shoulder lightly. She stirred, "What?" he laughed to himself she looked so cute when she was asleep. _What! Did I just say she was cute?_

_**Yep.**_

_Not you again._

_**Yep I'm back.**_

_Can't you interrupt someone else's life!_

_**Nope, idiot, I'm YOUR conscious.**_

_Sigh. Please go away._

_**Nope.**_

"Ichigo!"

"What!" he said very annoyed.

KICK. "WERE GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL YOU IDIOT, WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP!"

"I DID!"

KICK.

"Ouch." He said and rubbed the bruise that was starting to form on his shin, from the numerous amounts of kicks it had taken in the past few days.

**_See what you get yourself into, arguing with yourself._**

_Glares evilly inward towards himself._

_**Why don't you just tell her you idiot?**_

_Tell her what? _

_**Sigh. That you love her.**_

_What! Hell no! Don't you know she will laugh at me and…_

_**What if she loves you too?**_

_Huh? She doesn't love me. Can't you tell she is ALWAYS kicking me? That doesn't sound love to me…_

_**Love has many forms you know. You mock her. That's your funny way of showing her your love.**_

_Evilly glares._

"Ichigo, are you okay," Rukia asked as she took a hold of his hand unconsciously.

"Err… yeah, I feel fine." He said blushing slightly at her unconscious actions. He swallowed, "Wh…what are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Nothing." He replied since he didn't want another bruise. _I can't afford to get another bruise._

_**You like it don't you?**_

_What! No! I mean…maybe little._

_**Grins.**_

They walked into the school and all of the people went quiet. _What's with everyone? Why are they staring at us?_

_**Stupid, Aren't you aware of anything around you?**_

_Who the hell are you?_

_**Your conscious.**_

_My what?_

_**Never mind. Just look at your hand.**_

She looked down at her hand and blushed as red as a tomato. "Aa…"

"I had to drag her out of the bushes this morning turns out she lost her way to school, she didn't want to come so I took her hand and dragged her, I suppose we forgot…"

"What! You mean you were keeping her for yourself?" cried Keigo.

"WHAT! NO!"

Rukia pulled him into the nearest room, which happened to be their classroom. Inoue looked up and Rukia immediately let go of Ichigo's hand.

They silently went to their seats. "Umm, Ichigo?" Inoue asked but shook her head and sat down as he walked past her to his seat.

All throughout class Rukia kept looking over at Ichigo, who had his elbows on the desk and his head buried in his hands, covering his face.

_What do I do?_

_**You tell her.**_

_But you don't understand._

_**Don't understand what?**_

_I LOVE her._

_**Yeah.**_

_If she knows that than everything will change._

_**Yeah.**_

_I…don't want things to change._

_**Why, what are you so afraid of?**_

_YOU'RE MY CONSCIOUS DON'T YOU KNOW?_

_**What are you so afraid of?**_

_…_

_**Are you afraid of losing her?**_

_Losing… her…?_

_**Are you afraid of that?**_

He looked up from his hands and over at Rukia, who was looking at him, concern filling her sharp blue-violet eyes, as she saw the fear in his amber ones, growing more intense the longer their gazes were locked.

The bell rang breaking their stares and dismissing them and their classmates from the building. Ichigo got up abruptly and shot out the door. He quickened his pace when he heard her fast pace trying to catch up with him. "Ichigo!" He started running, she ran after him, but had to stop her body was too tired to move forward anymore, she froze, not able to move she dropped to the ground and cried "Ichigo!" He stopped, what made him stop he supposed was the way she said his name, the pained sound of the thought of losing something close to her. _Something…someone…_He remembered the face of his mother. _…Someone close to her… "Ichigo!" She…doesn't want…me to leave… "Ichigo!" "Mom!" …She doesn't want to hurt anymore… _The tears streamed down his face as he absently turned around, walked over to her, picking her up and standing her on her feet, she looked up into his face that was blurred with her tears. She wrapped her arms around him and cried into his chest. He put his arms around her and rested his forehead on the top of her head. She let go of the embrace and he wiped her tears away with his thumb, and placed a gently comforting brother-like kiss on her forehead. The rest of the walk home was pleasant, as they walked side by side enjoying the scenery, not arguing, or even talking, it was a nice comfortable silence.


End file.
